Coin-like game playing aide

ABSTRACT

Our invention consists of a metal cast or machined coin-like generally flat playing piece with a provision to accept a pressure sensitive adhesive backed label. The label is printed with high quality artwork, which can represent characters, creatures and objects related to the game being played. The label, when adhered to the coin-like playing piece, provides a high quality, rugged and robust playing aid for use in role playing and other type games. The generally heavy weight of the metal and flatness of the playing piece provides a very stable playing aid that will not fall over like cast or molded miniatures or get blown away like paper plating pieces and is very easy to carry.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] This invention relates generally to game playing aides and specifically to game playing aides for role playing games where the game playing piece is used to represent the player or creature, to assist in the playing of the game, and to represent unique characteristics of the player or player character themselves.

[0002] In many games particularly role-playing games like Dungeon's and Dragons the players use unique playing pieces to represent their character or creature in a game. These miniatures are used to assist in the playing of the game and represent unique features and characteristics of the player's or creature's characteristics. These characteristics include fantastical races such as orcs, dwarves, elves; gender, age; skill set such as fighter, wizard, cleric; clothing and weaponry. In addition, in these type games the player character can be an extension of the player's personality making the choice and quality of the playing piece a very personal decision. This results in a great demand for wide variety of unique high quality playing pieces.

[0003] One solution to this need is a sculpted miniature-playing piece offered in great variety. These miniatures are typically made from cast metal and are of great detail. They are typically sold as cast and not finished or painted, are fragile and at times are not stable when placed on a table top or other playing surface. They are difficult to carry around without a special box to protect them or using great care.

[0004] Other pieces used include printed pictures on small pieces of paper or cardboard. These come ready to use and do not require painting offering the player high quality art renditions of characters for their use. However by being made of paper they are of lessor quality then the cast pieces, get easily blown around and do not last long. They are inexpensive and easy to carry.

[0005] Another solution is plastic molded miniature playing pieces. They offer great detail like the metal cast figures, are not as fragile as the metal pieces but are less stable than the metal pieces.

[0006] Finally, lacking any of the above, players will use any thing that is handy such as dice, baubles, and coins to represent the player or creature. These obviously add no uniqueness or fun to the game but are cheap, accessible and easy to carry.

[0007] It is therefore desirable to provide an improved game playing piece of high quality, be robust and long lasting, be easy to carry, provide a variety of high quality artistic value to represent the playing character or creature, and be easy to play with.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0008] Our invention consists of a metal cast or machined coin-like, generally flat playing piece with a provision to accept a pressure sensitive adhesive backed label. The label is printed with high quality artwork, which can represent characters, creatures and objects related to the game being played. The label, when adhered to the coin-like playing piece, provides a high quality, rugged and robust playing aid for use in role playing and other type games. The generally heavy weight of the metal and flatness of the playing piece provides a very stable playing aid that will not fall over like cast or molded miniatures or get blown away like paper playing pieces and is very easy to carry.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009]FIG. 1 is a drawing of a top view of a representation of the coin-like playing piece

[0010]FIG. 2 is a drawing of a back view of a representation of the coin-like playing piece

[0011]FIG. 3 is a drawing of a cross-section of the coin-like playing piece illustrating the recess for the label.

[0012]FIG. 4 is a drawing of a label sheet with multiple dies cut labels attached

[0013]FIG. 5 is a drawing of an individual label

[0014]FIG. 6 is a drawing of a label, as it appears adhered to the coin-like playing piece.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0015] Our invention consists of a metal coin-like playing piece (1) generally flat in nature with provisions to accept a pressure sensitive adhesive backed label (5). The coin-like playing piece (1) can be made in a variety of shapes such as a hexagon, circle, octagon. FIG. 1 illustrates an octagonal design. The coin-like playing piece can vary in size between approx. 1 inch to 2 inches across the flats and in thickness from about {fraction (1/16)} of an inch up to {fraction (3/16)} of an inch. On the surface of the coin-like playing piece (1) is a label indentation (2) for accepting the label (5) as shown in FIG. 3 so as to provide guidance for the label (5) and protection from damage and accidental removal. The border (3) around the label indentation (2) can be of minimal width as limited by the production process chosen or thicker to add ornamental design element (4) as shown in FIG. 1.

[0016] The coin-like playing piece (1) can be made from a variety of processes including spin casting, metal injection molded, stamped or investment cast. However while it is the preferred embodiment that the coin-like playing piece be made of metal, it is also acceptable to produce the coin out of plastic with sufficient density to simulate the weight and feel of metal.

[0017] The label (5) as shown in Drawing 5 is cut to match the desired shape of the coin-like playing piece (1), i.e. round for a round coin, hexagon for a hexagon coin, etc. The label (5) contains high quality artwork representing characters, creatures and objects related to the game being played. The label (5) also contains a pressure sensitive adhesive used to adhere the label (5) in a permanent manner on the label indentation (2) on the coin-like playing piece (1). The label (5) material is made of sufficient quality to allow high quality near photograph type printing that is also long lasting.

[0018] The label (5) is provided to the user as label sheets (6) as shown in Drawing 4. The individual labels (5) are die cut (7) for easy removal from the label sheet (6). The user removes the label (5) and places it in the label indentation (2) on the coin-like playing piece (1) to create the final assembly as shown in Drawing 6.

[0019] While the preferred embodiment of the label (5) is to be adhesive backed other embodiments are possible including designing a press fit between the label (5) and the coin-like playing piece (1), or providing a separate adhesive applicator with a non-adhesive backed label (5) to attach the label (5) to the coin-like playing piece (1). Additionally while it is preferred that the label (5) is preprinted ready to be applied it is also possible to provide software and blank labels (5) where the user can print any picture of their liking for their use. 

What is claimed is: 1) A game-playing aide for identifying game player characters, creatures or objects in role playing type games comprising: a generally flat coin-like piece with a recessed surface on at least one side of the said coin-like piece with the shape of the said coin-like piece being of any of a variety of regular or irregular geometric shapes such as round or hexagon or octagon, along with a label preprinted with artwork representing a variety of fantasy characters and creatures on one side and pressure sensitive adhesive on the other side and which is pre-cut to match the said recessed surface of the said coin-like piece, the said label attaching to the said coin-like piece in the said recessed surface to form a final assembly of the said label and said coin-like piece. 2) The game-playing aide as defined in claim 1 wherein the said labels are provided on a label sheet comprising a backing sheet and the said pre-printed adhesive backed label for packaging purposes, where the said label is pre die-cut to the shape that matches the said recessed surface of the said coin-like piece, and the said backing sheet is coated to allow easy release of the said label. 3) A game-playing aide for identifying game player characters, creatures or objects in role playing type games comprising: a generally flat coin-like piece with a recessed surface on at least one side of the said coin-like piece with the shape of the said coin-like piece being of any of a variety of regular or irregular geometric shapes such as round or hexagon or octagon, the said recessed surface having undercuts on the inner side walls of the said recesses surface, along with a label preprinted with artwork representing a variety of fantasy characters and creatures on one side and which is pre-cut to match the said recessed surface of the said coin-like piece, the said label attaching to the said coin-like piece being held in place by the said undercuts in the said recessed surface inner side walls to form a final assembly of the said label and said coin-like piece. 4) The game-playing aide as defined in claim 3 wherein the said labels are provided on a pre-printed paper or cardboard stock, where the said label is die-cut to the shape that matches the said recessed surface of the said coin-like piece, the said die-cut around the said label being such as to keep the said label attached to the said paper or cardboard stock during handling while allowing for easy tear away when desired. 5) A game-playing aide for identifying game player characters, creatures or objects in role playing type games comprising: a generally flat coin-like piece with a recessed surface on at least one side of the said coin-like piece with the shape of the said coin-like piece being of any of a variety of regular or irregular geometric shapes such as round or hexagon or octagon, along with a label preprinted with artwork representing a variety of fantasy characters and creatures on one side and which is pre-cut to match the said recessed surface of the said coin-like piece, the said label attaching with externally applied adhesive to the said coin-like piece in the said recessed surface to form a final assembly of the said label and said coin-like piece. 6) The game-playing aide as defined in claim 5 wherein the said labels are provided on a pre-printed paper or cardboard stock, where the said label is die-cut to the shape that matches the said recessed surface of the said coin-like piece, the said die-cut around the said label being such as to keep the said label attached to the said paper or cardboard stock during handling while allowing for easy tear away when desired 